Ducati has announced its star MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso will continue with the team until the end of the 2020 season.
Dovizioso, who has been a Ducati factory rider since 2013, mounted the team's first title challenge since the Casey Stoner era, last year. But contract renewal negotiations were made difficult as Dovizioso upped his financial demands, having previously had a significantly smaller salary than that of underperforming team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.
Despite Dovizioso having had talks with Honda and Suzuki and rejecting Ducati's first offer, the team has now officially confirmed that he would stay on for another two years. The identity of Dovizioso's team-mate remains uncertain, with Lorenzo considering a move to Suzuki. If the three-time MotoGP champion leaves, Pramac Ducati duo Jack Miller and Danilo Petrucci are the prime candidates to replace him.
Dovizioso is currently fifth in the standings following his dramatic crash at Jerez, earlier this month, which also involved Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa.
Ducati is the third team to have announced 2019 rider news during the French Grand Prix week, following news that Alex Rins and Aleix Espargaro would spend two more seasons at Suzuki and Aprilia, respectively.